


The picture of us

by Memoryofmusic



Category: Star Trek: Discovery
Genre: Bodyswap, Eventual Fluff, F/F, Friends to Lovers, Light Angst, Slow Burn, Slow Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-14
Updated: 2019-03-31
Packaged: 2019-11-18 04:51:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,753
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18113648
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Memoryofmusic/pseuds/Memoryofmusic
Summary: Michael is pretty sure her hair has never been red before, so what are all these Tillyish red curls doing on her head? Tilly was only sneezing in the wrong hand, it's not her fault this led to her waking up in her friend's body.It's time for some body swapping, don't you think?





	1. Chapter 1

 

Michael always wakes up first.

So, when she wakes up this day and the bed on the other side of the room is empty she immediately thinks something is off.

Yes, something is really off.

Her roommate and her friend is nowhere to be seen and Michael is not in her own bed. These sheets aren't her own and this is not her side of the room.

What does she do in Tilly's hypoallergenic bed?

She gets up to further interrogate the room and then she stops dead in her tracks. A wave of red locks are blocking her sight. A mane of red locks of hair tangling down infront of her face from above her own head. A fair hand instinctively tries to clear her vision. Fair. White. Michaels hand is anything but fair and her hair is anything but red.

„Computer, show me my reflection.“ She hears Tilly's voice say.

Panic starts to slowly creep through her whole system, that can't be. It just can't be true, but her reflection shows her otherwise. There, in all her glory stands Ensign Sylvia Tilly, dressed in her cupcake pyjamas with a panic-stricken look on her face. Michael takes a deep breath, what could have happened that now she is in Tilly's body?

And where is Tilly?

Nothing happened, the day before Tilly was with Stamets the whole time enhancing the spore drive and Michael herself was working on the Red Angel mystery and how Spock was involved, trying to avoid Tyler's advances to help her. Tyler who is on the Discovery at the moment, even though he's working for Section 31 now. Tyler who is trying really hard to work on not getting close to her again in any way that is not professional but failing miserably. She isn't so good in avoiding his advances as well. It still feels strange seeing his face now and then, although she is coping quite well.

„ _Ensign Sylvia Tilly, report yourself to the bridge immediately.“_

She hears Captain Pike's voice announce through the speaker's, then, „w _ell, or Commander Burnham, however you may put it.“_

Alright.

The Captain and Saru must already know that something has happened, especially if, and that is the logical conclusion, Tilly woke up in Michael's body and already talked to Captain Pike.

 

 

Not even having the time to properly arrive at the bridge her own body is sprinting towards her with big and excited eyes, „Michael!“ her own hands are forcefully touching her face, „Oh my...that's freaking amazing..you, you're me, in my body, you're having my body. No, you are in my freaking body I mean.“ Michael has never seen her face express so many emotions at once, she isn't sure she approves of what Tilly is doing with it.

„Tilly.“

„A-and I'm in yours. We switched bodies. How did that happen, right? When I woke up I didn't even notice, I mean I should have but then everything started to happen so very fast and-“

„Tilly!“

„Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry,“ Tilly says and promptly stops touching her own face, an astonished open-mouthed grin ever present on Michael Burnham's face, „Ha, I've never seen myself look so stoic before!“ Tilly interrogates.

„Ensign Tilly, are you done yet?“ Captain Pike asks.

Tilly takes a deep breathe and a slight step back away from her own body, „sorry, Sir.“

„So, the question now is, who did Janice Lester you? Any theories? Burnham, Tilly?“

„Captain?“ Tilly asks, not quite understanding what Pike is pointing at.

„Sorry, sorry. Something like this already happened once on Camus II, anyway, since Ensign Tilly already touched every part of her, or Commander Burnham's, or whoever's face,“ he concludes confused, „that theory is out of question. Did anything out of the ordinary happen to you?“

„No, Sir.“ Comes Michaels immediate reply. „Shoot,“ Tilly whispers next to her and nervously starts kneading her hands together, „well,“ Tilly starts, „no. No, no. Nothing out of the ordinary, but the unordinary, which actually is pretty ordinary when it comes to our cases, right?“

Pike sighs.

„You sure about that, Ensign?“ Pike asks, raising his right eyebrow questionably.

„Yes..Yes, Sir!“

„Alright.“ He says as if completely unconvinced, undermining this by raising his left brow as well, „You know I don't believe you at all, Ensign, remember, we might be able to find a solution together. For now, the two of you will be dismissed indefinitely. I can't work with the both of you looking like that. Burnham, you won't be helpful on Vulcan looking like Tilly.“

„Hey!“

„But, sir!“

„No. No 'heys' and no 'buts'. Until Tilly remembers we are a crew and better at working things out together, especially if this is something that might affect everyone at one point at a time, I recommend for you to rest.“

Both of them are still standing infront of Pike, Michael staring at him as if she wants to shout he can't be for real. They would soon arrive in the Vulcan system and it was Michaels chance to find some clues on her brother. This could not be true. Tilly on the other hand looked like she is trying really hard not to spasm any moment. Her hands are tightly clutched to her sides, curled into themselves, she looks as if she is vibrating, nasal wings puffed out and lips pressed together tightly.

„I don't know why you are still standing here, you are dismissed.“ Pike says and with that Tilly immediately storms out and away.

Shortly being followed by Michael.

 

 

What the others don't know, when they where on Qo'noS and Tilly was waiting in the bar being completely hammered by that fricking volcanic vapor that Orion forced on her she came to the glorious decision it would be best to buy that stupid wishing powder the same guy offered to her before she got knocked out by the drug. Well, and yesterday..there she was, finding it in one of her non-fleet trousers, remembering what that dude had said.

_Take it. And for a week you can have everything you ever wanted._

She did not wish to be Michael. Really, she didn't. Tilly loves being herself most of the time. She might have wished to have Michael, but she's trying really hard to repress these sort of emotions the best she can, so she wouldn't even dare to wish for something she honestly wants but that most likely would be taken away from her after a week. Also, it wouldn't be fair to Michael, she respects her far more than that. Actually, she did not wish for anything.

That's what she thought in the beginning anyway.

Michael is complicated and suffering because of her past mistakes. Tilly simply wanted her only real friend on the ship to be better and to finally be able to see that she is a fucking human being, that she is allowed to be complicated. And suffering.

And last night they were talking for a while, right after Tilly found that stupid powder in her trousers Michael stormed in their shared quarters. She didn't know what she should do with it and she also didn't want to explain what she was holding in her hands either. So she kept the little pouch it has been in hidden in her one hand and the powder, that she wanted to take a closer look at, later in the lab, in the other hand.

Obviously she had to sneeze right in said hand the moment Michael said she sometimes wished to be more open about expressing her feelings, just like Tilly was. And obviously Tilly had to answer that she is just the greatest person she had ever met and wished she could be a bit more like her.

Only a bit.

It was her fault their stupid heart to heart party led to this. But who would honestly believe in this nonsense that Orion talked About?

She really wanted to explain to Captain Pike that it was her fault, but she was being very Tilly and too scared of the consequences, so she just hoped that the orion guy was saying the truth. It would only take a week.

One week and they would be back to be their old selves.

No harm done.

None at all.

 

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

„Spill.“

Michael says after they had left the bridge and noone else was nearby.

„Huh, what?“

„You know, I know you Tilly. Even the Captain noticed. What were you hiding back there? I'm really trying not to be mad at you right now, but I have to understand

what happened and why you won't tell me.“

Thing is, when Tilly panics she either hyperventilates, talks in an unintelligible speed or flees. So, she decides for option three and simply starts to walk away, „I-I forgot something, sorry.“ is what she yells over her shoulder, getting faster with each step.

Until she is running.

Far, far away from Michael. Michael who sprints right after her, but actually isn't able to catch up with her, even though Tilly might have gotten better at running, Michaels body is way, way faster than hers.

„Sylvia...come on.“

Last straw.

„No.“ She shouts back, „you know this is cheating. Don't just call me by my first name when you exactl-ohmpf!“ So, it isn't Michael trying to stop her and achieving her goal but Tyler's chest, that Tilly just literally ran into.

„What exactly are the both of you doing, running and screaming in the passageway like an old bickering couple?“ He asks, still holding onto Michaels body. Looking down, seeing an open-mouthed and panic-stricken and completely unfitting look on the face a part of him used to love, still yearns for. Something is wrong.

„Tyler.“ He hears Tilly greet him clinically, looking up from Michael's face, Tilly's expression is stony.

Yes, something is completely wrong.

„Alright. What is going on here?“

„Nothing.“ Both of them say at the same time. „And will you please let go off me?“ Michael asks while wiggling out of his grip. She would never do that. She would try to take a step back while looking at him with her killer expression, that's what she would do. Not that. Not wiggling.

„Okay.“ He says, his hand automatically wandering to his phaser, „Who are you?“

„Whoa!“ Tilly says while holding up her hands, „Chill, will you?“

„You are not helping at all!“ Michael promptly tells Tilly. „I would never behave like that.“

„Yes, I know. And I would never behave like that.“ Tilly answers pointing at Michaels posture.

„We somehow switched bodies.“ Comes Michael's nonchalant answer, before anything could go even worse.

„So, you really won't need to phaser us, okay?“ Is what Tilly further explains.

„Wait.“ Tyler says, pointing at Michaels body, „so, you are Tilly.“, pointing at Tilly's body, „and you are Burnham?“

„Exactly, Sherlock.“

„How did this happen?“

„A question we all would love to be answered.“ Michael says, reproachfully looking at Tilly.

 

After a stressful day with many confusions Michael finds her way back to her room.

Tilly is already there staring at the picture of them both. The picture they took after Michaels acquittal and Tilly's promotion to Ensign. When Michael enters the room Tilly rapidly tries to brush away her silent tears, for she did not want Michael to see that she was ruining her perfect face right before Michael entered the room. Michael in turn completely ignores her roommate's presence. She doesn't even notice Tilly trying to cover up the tears. She promptly walks up to her bed to lie down. Closing her eyes and disregarding the existence of Tilly.

Until she hears the other clearing her throat.

Michael opens her eyes.

Tilly is standing in front of her bed, staring.

Michael silently asks with her eyes what she wants. She really isn't in the mood to talk to Tilly who just wouldn't explain anything, she would assume her own behaviour, ignoring Tilly, as childish, but she is way too angry to give it a true thought.

„Just so you know, and I know you're mad at me and don't want to talk to me anymore, I know you probably hate me, and that's fine. Well, it's not, I can't bear not talking to you actually. I just, I just wanted to inform you, that you should lie down on the other bed. Well, my bed. You really do not want to live with the consequences of staying any more minutes longer in those sheets.“

Michael is still finding it all deeply surreal. Seeing herself babbling on and on. If they would have met the other Michael Burnham in the mirror universe, maybe it would have been similar. Seeing herself standing infront of her being a completely different person.

„Maybe I should stay here. See what happens to you body.“

That was mean. Tilly closes her eyes, trying to block out the hurt she feels stabbing somewhere in her gut.

„I'm sorry, Tilly. That was uncalled for.“ Michael gets up to lie down on the other side of the room. Tilly stops her by taking a hold of her hand.

„No, I deserved it. Michael, I'm so sorry. I just..I shouldn't have acted like this. But, but you see. It's not permanent- well, I hope it's not- and I just thought if I kept silent and we wait it out...I'm really scared of what Pike will do to me. I-“

„Tilly. Just calm down. Could we maybe make a deal, you tell me what happened and I'll keep it to myself unless I see a solution you might not that would require the help of someone else?“

„I-” Tilly considers the offer for a moment, “okay. Okay, good.“

„So?“

„So..you see. Remember when we were on Qo'noS and I was waiting in that pub?“

 

After Tilly told the whole story Michael wants to know why it was so difficult for her to explain their situation in the first place.

„You know how I'd like to be Captain someday, doing stupid things like that, they just won't be good on my recommendation. And I felt stupid. I mean, okay, sure, I was totally drugged out when I thought it to be an awesome idea to buy that pulver. And yes, sure, I even forgot that I actually did, well until I found it. But, instead of throwing it away, what do I do? I keep it. I want to examine it. So I keep it. I'm so stupid. It's so typically me, sneezing this freaking stuff in both our faces, not concluding this might affect us.“

Michael should be mad at Tilly. She should go to the Captain and report what came to her knowledge immediately. She should do a lot of things. But it is Tilly. And Tilly means a whole deal to her. Michael knew she was a positive asset to her life the moment Tilly sat down next to her to not let her eat alone in her first week at the Discovery.

And former Michael Burnham would have done exactly that. Reporting. Former Michael Burnham would have done a lot of things, because former Michael Burnham never felt that connected to a person. Not the way she did now. Yes, she felt connected to Georgiou, deeply. To Tyler, he was her first true attraction. But Tilly, she is real, honest, the complete opposite of herself, she is such a good being. How could one be able to hurt her? Be truly mad at her? She was the only person she ever met except for Amanda to make her feel like she belongs.

So, she should have done a lot of things. But she does not. And she won't. She wants to be loyal, even if it her decision isn't logical at all.

Especially after what happened with the fungus. Seeing Tilly stuck to that blobbish 'Maymycelia', she was so scared for her. The moment Stamets informed her that she was fine..Michael couldn't even put what she felt into words, the huge deepness of relief, even if Saru wouldn't let her keep that feeling for longer than two seconds. In the end Saru was fine and Tilly was gone. Michael had never run as fast as she did to get to Stamets. To no avail. Her world was crashing down at once seeing the cocoon that had absorbed her only friend. Seeing the empty bunk across from her own for days, uncertain what had happened to her.

So, how could she be mad when she in fact is still so very happy that her friend is alive and well, still breathing on, even if she is occupying her body.

They were sitting on opposite ends of Tilly's bed. Michael starts to lean forward to lightly touch Tilly's leg, „Tilly. You are anything but stupid, you are a researcher. It's clear you'd like to examine that powder. I would have done the same.“

„No, Michael. You wouldn't have. You wouldn't have accepted that volcanic vapor, you wouldn't have got drugged, you wouldn't have bought that fricking wishing powder. So, you couldn't have because you think things through.“

„You're right. I wouldn't have.“ Michael answers with a slight grin only to get a loud smack on her bare foot, „duh.“.

„But, your impulsiveness is also something good. You act on instinct, Sylvia. Even though now we're in this situation. It could be worse.“ Michael tells her reassuringly.

„Yeah, I know right? Imagine I would have switched with Tyler, or Saru. Would that even be possible? Since he's not human and all. Oh man, or Stamets.“ Tilly starts to get excited again.

„Tilly..don't. Really, don't. And for Tyler, he would have done good with a bit of your personality.“

„Ha! Totally! Wait. Did you just..did you just make a joke? At the expense of Tyler? You? I'm sorry, I'm being inconsiderate again, right?“ Tilly asks with big eyes, completely not believing what she was hearing.

Michael was hurting.

Michael does not make jokes, especially not jokes like this one.

„It's fine. And yes, I was joking at the expense of Tyler.”

Then, looking into Tilly's eyes, preparing to speak her thoughts out loud for the first time “I think I came square with what happened between us. I've moved on, as they say.“ She answers with a tiny smile gracing her lips.

„That's great! Really freaking great!“


	3. Chapter 3

 

It's morning again. The first thing Tilly does after waking up – and it was still strange to her to wake up before Michael, but this body seems to have it's own strict timing that her mind can't do anything about – is checking if maybe, just maybe she is herself again.

Nope. Nada. Niente.

Still stuck in that nice Burnhamish body. Which might become a problem now that Tilly really starts to think about it. She wants to take a bath. A nice hot shower. But that ju-

„Good morning, Sylvia.“ Michael greets her from the other side of the room. “I can hear you thinking from afar.”

If Tilly wouldn't be in Michaels body, wearing her dark shade, Michael would be seeing the full body blush her roommate was trying to get rid off.

„Morning!!“ She shrieks, then, “you can?”

„You are rolling around like a mad woman.“ Her friend says with a slight grin in her voice, “everything okay?”

„Yes! Yes, everything is super duper fine. The finest. Yep.“ Tilly sits up to look over at Michael, „just, you know, I would really like to take a shower.“ She tells her with big eyes.

„What's stopping you then?“ Tilly isn't sure she is hearing right, does Michael not get the trouble they are in?

Tilly would love to tell her what is actually stopping her. They are two adult women, friends, and they get dressed in front of each other daily, but this is something else. She can't just hop under the shower, so close to all of Michael's...places. She likes Michael, not just for her brains and her inconsiderate strange charm. She might also like her for her looks and she would not only be able to look, she would need to touch. Touch! She isn't sure she would be able to handle this properly. So she wouldn't be able to ever look at Michael again after this.

"Uh, in case you have forgotten…," Tilly starts but Michael realizes what she is pointing at.

„It's fine, we could go to one of the great bathrooms together, if it would make you feel better. I would like to clean up as well.“ Michael answers nonchalantly after Tilly hasn't said anything for a while.

„To-together?“ Tilly asks in panic. Leading to Michael finally getting the picture of what she said and how Sylvia understood this. She feels her face grow hot.

„No, I mean. What I mean is, we shouldn't feel embarrassed about it.“ Not feeling embarrassed about it is easier said than done, Tilly thinks.

“I feel totally embarrassed about it, Michael.” Oh shit, it finally gets to her what Michael also said, she wants to clean up as well. Michael will wash her body. Now Tilly was sure Michael would be able to see her blush despite her dark skin and the still only lightly lit room.

„It's just a body, Tilly.“

Just a body she says, Tilly thinks. Right. It's her freaking body. Hers! How should she cope?

„I..well. I think I can wait one more day.“

„Actually, you can't. I cannot let you go out there smelling like that.“

Michael says getting up, walking over to Tilly.

„What do you mean? I don't smell.“ Tilly answers defensible, trying to take an unobtrusive sniff of herself. 

„Sure. You don't. No, really you don't, one more day should be okay, but don't make me look like a stinker, will you?“ Michael tells her and leaves their sleeping room to head towards their tiny bathroom. After the promotion she got offered the senior's officers quarters, but she actually really liked staying with Tilly. Her nightly snores became some sort of lullaby that make her feel safe and ironically let her finally fall asleep again. Since Tilly climbed up a rank higher she was also offered new quarters, so now their room was a bit bigger, with a tiny sitting area and their own tiny bathroom, otherwise it was the same.

“What are you doing?” Tilly asks, standing up as well, already starting to panic again.

“What does it look like? Come on, Tilly, it's okay.”

Tilly on her part couldn't understand how Michael was so freaking nonchalant about this situation. Maybe it is she herself who shouldn't make such a big deal out of it.

 

What Tilly doesn't know, Michael isn't. Nonchalant about it. At all. Michael only didn't realize this at first, but when she gets undressed and enters the shower cabin, it starts to make sense to her that this might be a violation of Tilly's privacy. It is still her friend's body and Michael could do with it whatever she wants, if Tilly likes or not. She didn't even ask if it would be okay for her roommate.

This thought really bothers her. Michael hopes her friend knows she won't exploit her trust.

Even though her friend isn't delighted about the whole showering in another body thing, clearly, Michael really hopes Tilly won't think strangely about her now. Michael feels unsure if she still should do it or not, but reasoning she was already here and undressed, she could just make fast work of it.

Michael feels pretty shy the moment she walks into the shower cabin, not looking down. No, trying really hard not to look down she starts to ask herself why she feels this strange need to do just that. Respect Sylvia! She tells herself, don't do it. It must be human curiosity, she concludes. Getting her act together, she is done only two minutes after entering the shower, not thinking about all those nice soft places she had been touching. Mentally face-palming herself everytime she unconsciously tries to relive the feeling on her fingertips that had been touching such soft skin.

Violation.

Getting out of the shower she walks back into the sleeping room only to find that her roommate isn't occupying it anymore. Maybe she is getting herself some breakfast, she thinks. Michael isn't looking forward to seeing her, the feeling of having done something wrong is still clutching on her, but she does not want to be alone the whole day either. Not having anything to do is gnawing on her. On her way to the mess hall she meets Saru who is looking at her strangely.

„Commander Burnham, may I ask about your inner commotion? I'm sensing it from 80 kilometres afar.“ He asks curiously.

Ignoring the question she asks him if he had any news on the Red Angel mystery.

„I don't believe it to be appropriate to discuss, Captain Pike was very strict about Ensign Tilly's and your circumstances, Commander.“

„Saru, please.“ She begs but he keeps silent. For a moment.

„Well, you may find it pleasing to know,“ he starts, „that I've seen Ensign Tilly on the bridge just a few moments ago, talking to the Captain, perhaps after their talk you'll be allowed new information.“

„Saru, thank you.“ She says and storms in the direction of the bridge.

Only being stopped after some sprints around a few corners again. This time it is no one she knows though. Only a small group of Starfleet engineering cadets who, when seeing her run by, start to stop and snicker. This makes her stop in return to quizzically look at them. But her action only made them snicker even louder.

„Something funny, cadets?“ She asks in her authoritative voice.

This made most of them stop in their tracks, looking at her as if she grew at least seven more heads.

„No? So, why don't you go on and make yourself useful somewhere, it seems the hallway does not acquire your help.“ She tells them firmly and waits until they are gone to head to the bridge.

She doesn't know what sort of business Tilly has with them, but she makes sure to remember to ask her friend later.

 

 

 

When Michael leaves the room Sylvia has enough time to think about a few things. She didn't consider the Captain to leave them off duty when not being told what was wrong and seeing Michael as hurt as she was when not allowed to solve the mystery that seems to somehow revolve around her own brother, made her feel bad. That only left her to one logical option – she starts to sound like Michael now as well, it seems. If she wanted to be a good and trusting friend, that is, she had to talk to Captain Pike. So, she commands all the courage she has and makes her way to the bridge.

„Alright, Ensign, I heard you wanted to talk to me?“

So she explains, she apologizes and begs not to drag Michael into all this mess, for she has nothing to do with it but being the recipient of all the consequences.

Pike reprimands, „Ensign Tilly. I don't see how this is your fault as well. You made some unclever decisions, yes, and you should have told me the first time I asked, but Commander Burnham and you are both very important crew members and I imagine it must be difficult enough being in your situation. I wasn't looking forward to suspend you from office.“

„Oh, thank you, Captain.“

“But you have to understand I had to. Sometimes there must be consequences.”

He looks at her to bring his point across and explains, „also, I heard about that powder. I bet you've been wondering if you'll be stuck like this forever. You could have saved further troubling yourself by talking to me, because it's harmless. Most of the time the effects don't even last as long as it is promised. And don't thank me, Ensign. I'm still not happy about your decision-making. If you really want to be a Captain one day, you should be considerate about one thing: Don't hide your mistakes only because you're scared of the consequences, they'll get even worse. I hope you've learned that lesson.“

„Yes, Sir, I did, Sir.“

„Good.“

„Captain Pike, Sir. What about Commander Burnham though? Will you let her keep working on her brother's case?“

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Just wanted to say: I know Lester was timewise actually over a decade after the happenings on Discovery, still, I really wanted that line in there. Anyways, its fanfiction: my fiction, my truths. 
> 
> And I completely fell in love with Sylvia Tilly! I mean, what is she?! First swearer and Star Trek fun evolutionist, that is what she is. Also, red hair!


End file.
